Dragon's Ring
by Revenge of the Red Pen
Summary: What happens when a certain chief's son forgets his girlfriend's birthday? With little time left what will he procure for his beloved and how is he going to keep it a secret from her? Will everything go as planned or is he playing with fire? Originally intended to be a one-shot, this has turned into a short 3 chapter story.
1. Prologue

So after reading several Hiccup x Astrid fics, I decided to finally make my own; just a short one, but an idea that I've been playing around with for some time.

This first chapter is more of a summary/retelling of the part in the movie where Hiccup meets Toothless for the first time. I changed and added a few things to fit this story. Hope you guys enjoy!

NOTE: I do not own anything HTTYD related.

Chapter 1: Prologue

* * *

Vikings were tough and intimidating. They had nerves of steel and were not afraid of any man or beast, especially when that beast was a dragon. _DRAGONS_…these creatures had persecuted the Vikings lands for many years always stealing any food (including humans) they could get their claws on. It was an ongoing struggle that left many dead on either side. For the dragons, it was a fight for survival; for the Vikings, it was an occupational hazard. Every Viking knew their duty and was expected to follow it through to the end. You see a dragon – you kill it; plain and simple.

Stoick the Vast was the chieftain of the Viking's land of Berk. His name said it all; a huge bulk of man with a stature that masked most other Vikings and arms as strong as steel and broad as trees. He was an example and model Viking for all. When the chief had a son born to him, he and the whole village were excited. Surely the son of such a great chief would also be great, right?

Unfortunately, they were all disappointed with Hiccup. Yes, Hiccup –the same sound one makes from their mouths when they've eaten too fast. Hiccup was a strange Viking. He was scrawny and wimpy with arms like twigs and nerves like that of a frightened field mouse. He was very creative and loved to tinker with multiple objects, which put him as apprentice to the town's blacksmith, Gobber. He was shunned by many of the adults and children of the village for being different. Even his father would wonder if he got the wrong son, instead of some talking fishbone.

Throughout the many years that would follow, everyone would grow accustomed to the shouts and screams of the chief's son that would emanate during any of the dragons' usually raids. Gobber would always give him the same line before leaving the boy to tend the smithy by himself: _The dragons will see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking like children_. Hiccup had grown to accept the opposite and on more than one occasion, had found himself in quite the mess usually with his father having to save him and clean up the ensuing destruction that followed. It was on one particular mess that everything would change for the chief's son; something new was on the horizon and it would change how he and all the other Vikings lived their lives from that point on…

* * *

"…but I just shot down a Night Fury…ow, ow, ow!" Hiccup was being manhandled by his father as he was given to Gobber.

"Take him back to the house and make sure he doesn't get out! I have his mess to clean up" said the chief as he disdainfully walked away. Gobber gave Hiccup a small slap over the head as he led him away. The adults gave their disapproving looks at the boy and some of the children jeered while he walked by.

There was a deep yearning and longing to fit in with everyone else. "…The point is stop trying to be someone you're not" Gobber told the boy approaching the doors to the chief's house.

"But I just want to be like you guys" replied Hiccup as he entered and closed the door, allowing the blacksmith to walk back to town and assist with the aftermath of the recent raid. As soon as the coast was clear, Hiccup snuck out the back and headed towards the forest. "I'm going to find that dragon even if it's the last thing I do" he thought as he ran. He then stopped and thought for a moment; he definitely didn't want this to be the last thing he did, but if he was ever going to impress the other Vikings, his fellow students and his father, he would have to do this. He summoned every ounce of courage he had and the image of a certain blond-haired beauty crept into his mind. Thinking of Astrid gave the boy the necessary push to continue on with his journey. He had long since had a crush on the girl, but was always too shy to talk with her, let alone express his feelings. On top of that, she was the top student in her class and why in Thor's name would she ever notice someone like him? Finding the Night Fury was his one and only shot of getting the chance he needed.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Hiccup was muttering angrily to himself. He was sure he had traversed the entire forest looking for his dragon. "I'm never going to find this thing. It's hopeless! Oh, how the gods must hate me!" He turned around and was about to head home when a branch smacked him right in the face. Rubbing his face and getting his bearing, he moved it out of the way and continued on the same path only to be met with another broken branch. "What the…" was the only thing he said as he noticed that several trees in the same direction were ripped, broken and had limbs scattered everywhere. The ground between these trees looked disturbed and there was a trail hewn in as though something heavy had been dragged.

"Could this be?" He became excited and ran along this new path until he came to a massive boulder. He hung his head realizing the path ended there. Nothing was going right for him and he began to doubt if he really had taken down the mighty beast. Yet there was something within that told him to press on; he wanted to ignore it, but heard a small rustle. He stopped dead in his tracks, pressed himself against the boulder and checked his surroundings. He saw nothing but a thought occurred to him. He turned around and peered over the boulder.

He crouched back down, "Oh gods!" He stole a quick glance around the boulder; it was still there! The creature he was seeking was right there on the ground not 50 yards in a small clearing. "This is great! I really did catch a Night Fury! This is definitely going to get me noticed; heck, maybe even Astrid will look at me differently!" For once in his life everything was going right for the chief's son. The only dilemma now was how he would deal with such a beast.

"I could go back to the village and get someone to…wait that's stupid. Why would anyone believe me?" It was true, sadly; why would anyone in the village take time to believe Hiccup, the non-Viking who was always running from said creatures almost getting killed. "No, I'm going to have to bring the proof myself."

The boy slowly made his way to the beast who was still breathing (he had secretly hoped it was dead). For a brief second he took in the beauty of this rare beast still tangled in the ropes of the contraption he had made. Its scales were like onyx and its body as black as night. None of the stories did this beast justice as Hiccup took in its terrific majesty. Not realizing the courage he was showing, he planted a foot on its side, "I have taken down this mighty beast!" He was nearly knocked off balance as the dragon pushed his foot off him. It was now fully awake and it stared at him as if penetrating the depths of his soul.

He would have turned tail and run at that point, but something kept him grounded in his place. The whole day would have been wasted had he left and he needed to show everyone he was just like them; that he could be a true Viking – something his father would be most proud of. Summoning the little courage he thought he had, Hiccup stared back at the beast. "I'm going to kill you and take your head back to my father! I'm a Viking!" Drawing his tiny dagger from his pouch, the chief's son readied himself to deliver the final blow to the dragon. He raised the weapon in the air above the dragon. This was the moment he would prove himself. The beast let out a small moan and turned away, preparing itself for its departure from this world.

He brought the dagger down with great force (or at least it was for him). He always wondered what a dying dragon would sound like, but he would never get the chance especially at that moment. His knife only made it halfway through the strike. This was his moment! Why did he stop? "What am I doing" he said to himself. Really unsure of what he was doing at that point, he began to cut the bonds of the beast. He had just finished with the second to last rope when in a flash of black the tables had turned on the poor boy. The beast had him pinned to the ground and was staring at him, danger in his eyes. Hiccup was face to face with the harbinger of his death and for the first time, he realized why the Night Fury was the unholy offspring of lightning and death. The creature raised its head and let out a bloodcurdling roar. Instead of pain however, Hiccup only felt air as the dragon took off and flew away.

What just happened? Why didn't the beast finish him off there? These and other thoughts raced through his mind as he stood up. He turned and headed towards the village until his knees gave out. He had just survived a Night Fury, but this didn't matter for the ground came rushing up to him as he passed out.

* * *

_The next day…_

After the incident with the dragon, Stoick decided that he would put his son in training camp. Gobber would train Hiccup and the other kids the one basic skill they needed to survive: How to Kill Dragons. The student who did the best would have the 'honor' of killing their first dragon. If by some long shot that student happened to be Hiccup, he knew he wouldn't be able to go through with it especially after what happened the previous day.

Everyone expected either Astrid, the Viking prodigy or Snotlout, the young brutish son of the Jorgenson tribe to be one of the lucky students. The twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut were too busy fighting and arguing with each other to be selected and Fishlegs was the bookworm on anything pertaining to a dragon – he was not the fighting type too. Despite this all, Snotlout made a crack about wanting to transfer to a new class because Hiccup had already captured a Night Fury.

The first lesson was about the shot limit of each dragon. Gobber began to name each of the dragons and explain them to the students. "Would you stop that!?" he exclaimed at Fishlegs who's uncanny knowledge as he kept listing aspects like armor and strength kept irking the blacksmith. He finally stopped at the Gronckle cage and unhinged the opening.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" shouted Snotlout when he saw this.

"I believe in on the job training" the smithy replied as the beast flew out of its cage. It looked at all the potential meals in front of it before prepping some fire blasts. The kids began running before Gobber shouted, "Quick! What's the first thing you need?"

"A doctor?" said Hiccup.

"Plus 5 stealth?" said Fishlegs.

"A shield" replied Astrid. At this everyone ran for their respective pieces of protection. Eventually their numbers dwindled and of course with his luck, Hiccup's shield was knocked from him and began rolling towards the wall. He finally grabbed it, but was cornered by the Gronckle and was about to be blasted had Gobber not grabbed its mouth and redirected the final blast.

"Remember, a dragon will always go _for the kill_" he told them as he put the beast back in its cage and dismissed them all for the day.

* * *

_Later that day…_

Hiccup was back in the woods at the spot where he released the dragon. He thought about what Gobber had said earlier, "So why didn't you?" The Night Fury had the chance to claim the boy's life, especially since he was the one who had caught him. However, the beast just roared and flew off leaving the poor boy scared out of his mind.

He looked in the direction the dragon had flown off to and saw the trail of broken limbs from trees it had tried to fly past. He would follow that trail and hopefully discover where the beast had gone to, but not before noticing something black and shiny on the ground covered by some dirt. Picking it up he realized it was a scale from the dragon. Several other glints caught his attention and he realized that there were quite a few scattered around the area. He picked them all up and stuffed them into his pocket. "I'm definitely keeping these; at least it'll bring me one step closer to getting everyone to recognize me." Not only would these scales hopefully lead him to the Night Fury, his mind began turning with a multitude of things he could do with the scales. The scales of any dragon but especially that of Night Furies, were said to be almost completely impervious to any and all damage. If he gathered enough of them, maybe he could make a small shield or armor with them? With these thoughts still churning away, he continued in the direction the scales led.

_About an hour later…_

Why was he so clumsy? He had just reached a cove where the trail ended and finally gotten up the courage to navigate down the gorge to where the dragon was staying. Everything was going great until he got his shield stuck in between two rocks. Then he wandered into the clearing with only a fish and small dagger for protection.

The whole time, the Night Fury was watching this young human, wondering how it let itself get caught by such a simple contraption. There was something different about this human; it seemed smarter than the other ones he had encountered. Curious and somewhat annoyed at its gall, the Night Fury came from its position on a rock to approach the boy. He may be different than the others, but that didn't mean he would make any less of a meal should anything go awry.

So now Hiccup was face to face with the mighty beast. Several thoughts raced through his mind, the most prominent being to run since his dagger wasn't going to do much against the dragon. He stayed his ground however and held out the fish to the dragon. It cautiously approached realizing he was offering food, but immediately flinched back and snarled at the boy when he noticed the weapon.

It was no good at this point; Hiccup was at the point of no return. If it was going to kill him, there would be nothing he could do. He pulled back his fur vest, showing the weapon and causing the dragon to increase its snarling. He dropped the weapon and kicked it into the nearby pond. Almost immediately, the dragon ceased its aggressive behavior and calmed almost to the point of acting like a dog. Hiccup thought this interesting and weird, but nevertheless held out the fish once again to the dragon.

"Hmm…toothless? I thought you had…" he was caught off as the dragon's retractable teeth came out and snatched the fish from his hands, "…teeth." Once finished, the dragon came closer to Hiccup, sniffing him and seeing what else this boy had to offer. Hiccup had backed up against a boulder and fallen on his butt as the dragon neared closer to him. It was close enough where he could smell its breath and he held his hands up thinking it was going to attack him. However, the only thing the dragon did was regurgitate the head of the fish right onto the boy's lap.

Slobber and drool covered the remainder of the fish and Hiccup was completely confused. He looked at the beast and it made a motion of its mouth. Hiccup realized that it wanted him to eat the food it dropped in front of him. Normally fish was great, but regurgitated from a dragon? He surely didn't like the idea at all, but was he really going to refuse the beast that could destroy him with one blow or bite? Reluctantly, he took the slimy fish into his hands and took a bite. The smell of the fish mixed in with whatever smell and taste coming from the dragon was disgusting. Putting on his best face however, he smiled with a full mouth and nodded to the beast that it was good (not!).

The dragon however was not satisfied and made another motion to the boy. Now he wanted him to swallow! Hiccup looked at the beast but there was no appeasing it; so, he swallowed. The only good thing with the fish was that it slid down his throat nicely. Other than that, Hiccup was ready to expunge the entire contents of his insides. He shivered at the taste and gave a queasy and weak smile to the beast who tried to smile back in return. Thinking he had something, he stood up and put his hand towards the dragon to try and touch it. It leaned closer as if it wanted to touch as well, but snorted and immediately flew to the other side of the cove. Hiccup was quite satisfied with himself.

_Another 20 minutes later…_

Hiccup found himself face to face yet again with the beast. He tried to initiate contact, but the dragon only growled at him as he tried to get closer. This time however, he held his hand out, closed his eyes and looked away; he would let the beast initiate the contact itself. He didn't know what to expect or what the dragon might do, but he would soon feel something hard and rough against his skin. It was amazing! He, the runt and weakling of the village, was now touching a dragon! The feeling was incredible and Hiccup was sure he could have stayed there for an eternity. The Night Fury seemed to enjoy this, but as if waking up from a trance, it shook its head and once again flew to the opposite end of the cove.

* * *

So there's the first chapter. Let me know what you guys think. It may be just me seeing the small things, but has anyone else wondered what happened to the other part of Toothless' tail? Let me know on theories or if this was revealed somewhere else.

This story is already completed. The remaining 2 chapters will be released over the next two days.

Read and review please.

-RRP


	2. Things Forgotten

Happy New Years everyone! With 2013 gone I hope you all have a wonderful 2014. Hope everyone made sound (and reasonable resolutions).

This chapter skips around a bit since I'm assuming anybody reading this has at least seen the movie – I figured most wouldn't want a rehashing of something they already saw. Also, in order to establish something of a timeline, I assumed the HTTYD gang were 14-15 years old during the events of the movie.

NOTE: Still don't own anything HTTYD. It's probably a good thing, since I would've probably messed up an excellent movie and story.

Chapter 2: Things Forgotten

* * *

Ever since his encounter with Toothless (yes he did name the Night Fury), Hiccup had discovered many things about dragons that no one ever dared. Who in their right mind would ever attempt to make friends with a dragon, let alone try to fly it? Who knew that dragons were more like pets and were quite docile when not threatened? These and other things Hiccup had discovered in the weeks following his meeting.

Everything was going great for him. He was doing well in school, people were noticing him and even his classmates where acknowledging his skill set. As Gobber had put it, Hiccup was being swarmed by his 'new-found fans.' There were things he would do with and to the dragons that was bewildering to the mind. Gronckles, Hideous Zipplebacks and even the Deadly Nadders were no match for the skill of the chief's son.

Yep; Hiccup's dreams were all coming true, except for one thing…Astrid.

He definitely did not understand the mind of any female, let alone the blond-haired Viking for whom he had fallen. He thought she would come to appreciate this new skill he had found and come to finally accept him as it seemed everyone else had done. He was so off the mark – she initially found it annoying and then that annoyance turned into jealousy which eventually became anger. _How was it that this wimp, this__** un-Viking**__, became one of the most successful students (and Viking) in all of Berk_?

Hiccup came to realize this and tried to make sure he distanced himself from her. He still liked her, but he also knew she had a temper and didn't want to cross her. However, if he didn't want to cross her, then why was he so careless that day when heading to the cove? Why had he been so careless when taking down that Gronckle? Hiccup should have let Astrid take it down; then maybe she would be the one given the opportunity to kill their first dragon instead of him.

If he hadn't been so careless, he wouldn't be in his current predicament; he was preoccupied with leaving the island ever since the decision and he wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings. Had he, he would have noticed that Astrid followed him to the cove. Now he was sitting on Toothless, with the poor girl hanging from a very small branch at the top of a very tall tree.

'I'm not listening to anything you have to say!' Astrid was yelling at him and there was no way he would be able to keep his secret about Toothless if she went back to the village in her current state.

_Several minutes later…_

Life had an interesting way of turning things around. One minute Astrid was yelling at him for kidnapping her and the other minute she was apologizing for her actions and enjoying the ride with the chief's son and black beast. Now she and Hiccup both found themselves in a huge dark cavern that reeked of sulfur and death. The heat was heavy and suffocating, making an already worse situation all the more unbearable. Somehow they had made it out and were back at the cove where everything started. Oh…and Astrid was yelling at him again.

"I can't believe you want to hide this from the village, just for the sake of your _pet_?!" He understood where the blond was coming from, but he had to do it _his_ way. If they just walked into the village and proclaimed the discovery they had made, what would the adults have done? They would have acted like Vikings and gone after the nest, hoping to end the conflict once and for all.

Hiccup knew that there was no way they would accomplish their goal especially with the great beast that commanded the other dragons. He still shuddered as he remembered the giant head that came and swallowed the Gronckle whole. His initial fascination was quickly overrun by fear; a fear that if that beast ever came out, nothing would be able to stand in its way. With this he formulated a plan…

* * *

Nothing ever goes as planned…first Hiccup tried to show the villagers that the dragons were harmless, but that turned awry when his father tried to stop the match. Next thing he knows, everything is chaos and anger as his father realized the truth behind Hiccup's success. He had already taken Toothless and now he and most of the capable Vikings were headed to the dragons' island, not realizing the doom they were to bring upon themselves.

His fellow Vikings were more accepting of Hiccup's methods and with some help from Astrid they were all headed to the island. Toothless needed to be saved but more importantly, they needed to stop their parents and friends from making the costliest mistake of their lives.

* * *

It had been a little more than 3 years since the liberation of the dragons from the Red Death. Things were going great on Berk and everyone had learned to live peacefully with the dragons. Stoick and the rest of the village had come to the understanding that even though he may not have been their type of Viking, all they needed was a little more of Hiccup to fully appreciate the boy.

Every day was a new adventure for Hiccup and the gang. Stoick had given them permission to use the arena for their new dragon training academy. It was here they would spend countless hours classifying and cataloguing their dragons and any new ones they discovered on their adventures. They would learn various flying maneuvers, fighting techniques and anything else needed to gain full knowledge of the beasts with which they made their homes.

Never in his wildest dreams did Hiccup ever think any of this would have been possible. His classmates who had once shunned and made fun of him were now his closest friends – even Snotlout admired the skill of the chief's son, although he would never admit it outright. This was all great for him, but the best thing to come of all this was Astrid.

It had taken some time, but the events of her first dragon ride, his near-death encounter with the Red Death and the way he had come out of his shell since then, made Astrid realize her feelings for the boy she once thought less than. Hiccup had become more outgoing and social with the gang and as his second-in command at the academy, Astrid was always at his side.

They were an official couple in the eyes of the village even though they may have never come out and announced it. No one could deny that they were a perfect match for each other and complimented each other in more ways than one. While he was leader of their group, if there ever was a need for a bit of muscle and assertiveness, Astrid was there. On the reverse, when Astrid couldn't handle a situation due to a lack of tactfulness, Hiccup was there to offer compassion and patience.

When not in the academy, they spent their time together flying around the island and over the ocean. Sometimes they would journey to other islands and on occasion they would even visit the former home of the dragons where Hiccup defeated the Red Death. It was unnerving at first; each visit drew them closer as they both realized what they had almost lost that day. When they weren't flying or exploring, sometimes the two would just sit on a cliff overlooking the torrential waters below just talking with each other.

Hiccup cherished this almost more than the flying. Sure flying was great, with the wind in their faces and the ocean spraying water at them as they broke high speeds over the crystal depths below them. But spending these silent moments with his girlfriend, getting to know one another – their likes and dislikes; that's what made his life happy. During these special talks, Hiccup came to realize that Astrid wasn't as hard and scary as he once thought. Among other things, he found that her favorite color was blue, she loved the sunset and ever since she was a little girl, always wanted to know what was beyond the island of Berk.

Beneath the rough exterior was an intelligent and kind-hearted woman. By no means was she girly, but she would reveal her innermost thoughts and feelings to Hiccup during their talks, especially those of her early childhood and how rough some of it had been. Some of the memories she told saddened Hiccup and she would shed the occasional tear, but they would always be followed up with a quick punch to his shoulder with the warning that he would be dead if he ever told anyone. Of course, he would never tell anyone anything she relayed – such a thing would break her trust and he would never do anything to hurt her.

Hiccup had already walked Astrid to her house on their way back from one of their talks and just arrived at his house. It was late and Stoick was already snoring like a Yak on his armchair. Hiccup let him be and decided to head upstairs for bed. Toothless was already on his perch and was still awake awaiting the return of his master and friend. 'Hey buddy' Hiccup said as he entered the room. The dragon came down and nudged him, glad that he was home. Toothless seemed a bit playful but Hiccup was tired and wanted to get some rest. He began to climb into bed when Toothless barked at him. Hiccup told him to quiet so as not to wake Stoick. He walked over to the dragon, scratched his head and told him to go to sleep. The boy began to return to his bed, but Toothless barked again at him. Again, Hiccup told him to quiet, but there was something the Night Fury wanted his master to see. Hiccup obliged and walked over to the dragon who was pointing to a note on the wall. He realized it was the reminder he wrote for himself regarding Astrid's birthday and to not forgot a gift for her. 'Thanks for the reminder buddy' he said to his dragon. Sauntering to his bed, he climbed in and blew out the candle ready for a good night's sleep.

A couple of minutes later however, he awoke with a startle, 'Oh gods! Her birthday is tomorrow!'

* * *

To some people seeing the chief's son running around like a Gronckle with its tail missing was nothing new. There were several mornings when he would be up before anyone else because he found something new about dragons or had a new invention he was working on. Unfortunately, for the poor boy, this was not one of those mornings. Since the realization of not having a present for Astrid weighed heavily on him, he had not slept the remainder of the night. He was currently in Gobber's workshop trying to think of something he could put together for his girlfriend.

He had been busy throughout the week with various tasks. There was the all day town meeting to discuss Berk's relations with the Outcasts and Alvin's futile attempts at the dragons. The next several days he had then spent between the academy, workshop and town doing minor repairs on some of the houses after the recent lightning storm. He knew her birthday was coming and because of the little time he would have to himself, the note was made as a reminder. How could he have forgotten and left himself in such a precarious position?

Whatever it was, he couldn't be bothered by something he didn't do; he had to focus on a gift for Astrid. And that would be the difficult part – there was no time for him to come up with something elaborate as he had done in years past. He wanted this to be a special birthday for her and really make something nice. The first gift was a small shield made up of the scales from Toothless when he first found him.

He knew dragon scales were very resilient to damage which is why they could take beating after beating. However he was bored one night and after some tinkering found that under the constant heat of dragon fire, the scales would break down and become malleable, able to be molded into any shape imaginable. Of course, he didn't have enough of his dragon's scales to work with and he wasn't going to ask Toothless or any of the other dragons for their hide. So the shield he made for her, though too small to be used in combat, was still wonderfully crafted with the Hofferson family emblem blazoned in the middle.

The next year he had crafted a brand new battleaxe for her and made the hilt from some more of the remaining scales he had. It took several days to make each of these gifts – something that was not available to him this time around. And besides, there were only 3 scales left – what would he have been able to do with them anyway? What was he going to get Astrid?

Speaking of which, the person in question had somehow been able to sneak upon him, 'Hey Hiccup!' There was a clash and bang of swords and other weapons falling to the ground as her simple greeting startled her unprepared boyfriend. 'Oh gods! Are you ok Hiccup?'

He moaned as he picked himself up, rubbing his head where the side of a shield had greeted it on its way to the ground. 'Hey Astrid – oh gods, Astrid! Wha..wha..what are you doing here?'

She eyed him suspiciously and he got nervous. 'Well its morning and I wanted to say hi to my boyfriend. You weren't at your house so I checked the next place I thought you'd be. Is it crime to see you this early in the morning and why were you so startled to see me? Wait! Did you forget what day it was today?'

Great! Hiccup was hoping against all hope that she wouldn't remember. What was he going to do now? He fumbled for some words – he really didn't want to tell her he had forgotten about her birthday, but he also didn't want to lie to her. 'Astrid, I…um…we…forgot…'

'I knew it! Hiccup, how are people going to depend on you if you can't even remember a simple event we had planned for today? Don't you remember that we were going to fly to the dragon's island to find herbs, flowers and anything else that could be used as medicine for the dragons? I thought you'd remember especially since Snotlout has been grumbling about this trip all week. Something about his manly pride and this being something left for women…Don't you remember, I punched him in the gut for that last comment?'

He did remember that conversation but did he really just dodge a bullet with that last statement? 'Oh! That's right – thanks for the reminder Astrid. Give me a few more minutes and I'll meet you and the rest of the gang at the academy.' This seemed to appease her as she gave him a quick kiss and headed in the direction of the academy.

When she was out of sight he let out a breath that he didn't realize he was holding. He bought himself a bit more time to think, but this trip was still going to eat at the remainder of the day that he could use to procure a gift. Gods! He loved her so much and didn't want to disappoint her. Who knows, maybe he would find some inspiration during the trip; either way, time was running out and he needed an idea, fast.

* * *

It was midday and the gang had already spent several hours on the southern half of the dragon island. It was a barren wasteland and as such, there was barely anything they could find that would be of any help. They had found some small shrubs, weeds and a few berries, but flowers were almost non-existent. They were going to head home but at the suggestion of Fishlegs, they decided to fly around to the northern half of the island, to the cave where the Red Death had once made its home. Fishlegs knew that dragon bones could be ground up and was hoping they would find some.

Their arrival at the site reminded them of the terrible fight and near-destruction of the Vikings by the fearsome beast. The mouth of the cave was all but sealed with almost half the mountain collapsed over the entrance. There was little hope of finding anything useful, but they landed nonetheless and began their search.

'Let's head home guys' Hiccup announced to everyone. 'We've been out here for a couple of hours and haven't found much of anything. Let's bring back what we have and see what we can do with it.' Everyone agreed and mounting their dragons, began the ride back home. Hiccup was already on Toothless and about to catch up with the others when he spotted something almost dangling off the face of the mountain. He guided his dragon towards it and once he got closer, realized it was a flower. It was deep blue with violet rims on the edge of its six long petals. Never would he have thought that something so beautiful would grow in such a forsaken place. 'How did you, such a delicate thing, survive in such a harsh environment?' As he thought about this, a single thought occurred to him. 'Buddy, I think I just realized what I could get for Astrid and there still might be time to pull this off. Come on, let's catch up with the others – we have a lot of work to do.' And with that, dragon and rider flew towards the place they called home.

* * *

Upon reaching Berk, the gang gathered at the academy to review their findings. Hiccup was about to excuse himself when Astrid stopped him, 'Hiccup where are you going? What's the rush?'

'I…uh…just realized there's something I have to do for Gobber. You guys can take care of things here' he said hurriedly.

'Well is it something that I can help you with?' Astrid asked.

'No!' he said a little more forcefully then he meant. He immediately flinched and turned back to the group. Everyone had cocked their eyebrows at him and Astrid was eyeing him suspiciously. She was about to say something when Hiccup jumped on Toothless' back and flew off. 'I'll see you later' they heard him shout back.

'Hmph' Astrid mumbled as she crossed her arms and walked back to the group. Hiccup was up to something and she was going to find out one way or the other. 'Come on guys. Let's take care of this quickly. When we're done here, Fishlegs there's something I need you to do for me.'

* * *

So there's chapter 2 you guys. Hopefully I'm not too obvious, but does anyone know or have a faint idea as to what Hiccup might get for Astrid?

Please leave comments and review. Authors love to hear back from their readers and so do I.

-RRP


	3. The Gift

So as mentioned in the summary, I originally only planned for this story to be 2 chapters long with each chapter around a 3000 word limit. As it stands, both of the previous chapters are just over that limit and here we are on the third chapter which is closer to 5000 words (oops).

So without further ado, here's chapter 3. Also: I don't own anything HTTYD.

Chapter 3: The Gift

* * *

'I don't think this is a good idea Astrid. What if Hiccup wants to keep this a secret?' a worried Fishlegs said to Astrid. Snotlout and the twins had already headed back to their respective homes; she and the boy were the only ones left at the academy. In the short time he had been gone, Astrid had figured that Hiccup went to go finish on her birthday present and she was dying to find out what it was. She scolded herself for not noticing earlier, especially when she startled him in the workshop and how he seemed a bit distracted when they were talking.

'You worry too much Fishlegs.' This task required a bit of tact and finesse; something that Astrid knew Snotlout and the twins did not have. 'You're not going to ask him anything. Just be your normal self and see if you can find out what he's working on.'

Fishlegs didn't like being sneaky like this to his friend, but Astrid could be very persuasive…and assertive when she wanted. He didn't know how Hiccup handled it, but he admired him for it either way. He fiddled with his fingers for a bit and prayed that Odin would reveal a way for him to get out of this. When no answer came, he reluctantly agreed. Astrid hugged him and told him to stop by her house when he found something. She then mounted Stormfly and headed home. 'Come on girl' he said to Meatlug. 'Let's get this over with. I just hope I can be as helpful to Astrid as she thinks and hopefully Hiccup doesn't catch on to what I'm doing.'

* * *

It was evening and Hiccup and Toothless were in the workshop. Gobber had already taken the rest of the day off and told Hiccup he could have the shop all to himself. He had his tools ready and had already brought the remaining 3 dragon scales and laid them on the table. The flower was also on the table along with some small mineral stones he found on the island. If what he had planned worked, it would be the best gift he ever gave to Astrid.

He was about to begin working when Fishlegs popped into the shop. 'Hey Hiccup! What are you working on?'

For the second time in one day, Hiccup was startled out of his skin. 'Hey…um…Fishlegs! What are you doing here?' There was an awkward pause between the two boys as they both waited for the other one to answer.

Fishlegs began twiddling his fingers and started rocking back and forth as he suddenly found the floor very interesting. He knew this was a bad idea, but why had he let Astrid pressure him into it? He was getting nervous when he finally shouted, 'Astrid sent me here to spy on you to see what you were making for her birthday!' He immediately put his hands to his mouth as the last word escaped his lips.

Hiccup sighed to himself. So she didn't forget about her birthday but that was a slim hope in the first place. Who would ever forget their own birthday? And now she sent Fishlegs to find out what he was doing and report back to her. He wasn't sure if he should feel offended but he was the one who forgot, so he put those feelings aside.

Fishlegs, feeling ashamed for what he almost did, just left when Hiccup called him back. 'Don't worry about anything Fishlegs. Truth is, I had forgotten about her birthday and had been scrambling all day to think of something to give her. I was about to start working on something when you came in.' Hiccup was going to take whatever disappointment he would receive from his girlfriend.

'Hiccup; stop' he said. 'I'm not going to say anything to Astrid. Your secret is safe with me. I already feel bad for attempting to do this and I wouldn't want to add any more insult to injury.' The boys shook hands in mutual understanding, 'I just wish there was some way I could help you with your gift, but I got nothing.'

Hiccup crossed his arms and thought about this for a second. 'Maybe there is a way for you to help. Come here.' Fishlegs walked over to the table and Hiccup showed him the flower. Under the dim light of the shop, it seemed to glimmer with a slight luminescence. 'I found this on the side of the mountain at the dragon island before we left.'

Fishlegs marveled at the beauty of this flower. Never had he seen something so delicate and precious before. 'This is amazing Hiccup. Are you going to give this to Astrid?'

Hiccup nodded his head in agreement. 'Yea, I was initially going to give this to her, but then I thought of something. This must be an extremely rare flower – it was the one that I saw on the island. I know it would make a wonderful gift for her, but should I really use it all for this one thing?'

Fishlegs understood the plight of the chief's son. It seemed like Hiccup had found a great last-minute gift for his girlfriend or at least part of one (he still wasn't sure why the scales were there and what purpose they served). On the other hand, what was special about this flower that allowed it to survive on the island? How did it get there; how did it glow? He pondered this situation for a bit, before his eye lit with an idea. 'I got it Hiccup!'

'What! What do you got?!'

'I know how we can save the flower for studying but also allow you to give it to Astrid!' Fishlegs announced to his friend. He was quite pleased with himself and was glad Hiccup was all ears. 'What if you took a single petal from the flower and left the rest for us? This way we could still see if it has any medicinal properties valuable to the dragons or even us; then you would still have some of it to give to Astrid.'

Hiccup thought about this for a moment realizing the value of this plan. It would be a win-win for everyone, but there was just one problem. 'Fishlegs, how would we preserve the petal so it won't die?' He knew there was something special about this flower, but he didn't want to see it simply wilt away after several days.

'Well we could…or…maybe…no, that won't work either. Hmmm.' Fishlegs hadn't thought about that. Gods! Just when he thought he had an awesome idea and it figures they forgot an important fact. The both of them sat on some chairs and thought about it for a while. He tried to think of something but nothing came to him. His eyes searched the room as if looking for an answer. When they finally made their way back to the crafting table he asked his friend, 'Hiccup, why do you have those stones with you?'

Hiccup looked up from his thinking and started at the rough objects lying next to the scales and flower. 'To be honest, I was going to see if there would be a way for me to encase the flower in the stones – maybe as a way to preserve them. But after thinking about it, I can't figure a way to do it without damaging the flower.'

'Wait a minute Hiccup. That's it!' Fishlegs exclaimed. The idea he just came up with sounded a bit farfetched but if successful, would truly be a site to behold when finished. 'Hiccup, do you remember the shield and battleaxe you made for Astrid? Do you remember how you came up with the idea about the dragon scales? What if you applied that same concept to the stones?'

Hiccup looked a bit confused at first, but then his eyes lit like dragon fire. It was perfect! 'I think I see where you're going with this. It's going to take a long time, but I think it may work. Of course, it could also _not_ work too – we haven't tried anything like this before…' he laughed nervously. The only problem standing in their way was time. Sure, he may have had the original idea in his head, but he had to thank his friend for the execution. 'Fishlegs it's late and I don't have much time. Even if this works, Astrid won't get it before the day is up.'

'Don't worry about that – I think I know of a way to get around that' Fishlegs responded. And with that, the two sat in quiet planning on how Hiccup was going to make this the best birthday present he would ever give to Astrid.

* * *

Several hours had gone by since Astrid had left the academy. She tried to busy herself with several menial tasks but couldn't seem to focus on any one of them. 'By Thor's beard! What is taking Fishlegs so long? He should have been back by now!' Her patience was wearing thin and it was getting late. It was a simple task. Make your way to the workshop and see what Hiccup was working on; then report back to her. How hard could it be?

Stormfly was watching her rider pace back and forth. The dragon knew she was anxious about something but didn't know what to do. She cooed at her rider to which Astrid turned and smiled half-heartedly at her. 'Hey girl. There's nothing to worry about.' Wait! What if Fishlegs told Hiccup what she wanted him to do? Or what if he chickened out and abandoned the plan the whole time? She knew she shouldn't have concerned herself with the whole thing, but everyone had already expressed their birthday wishes in some way. Hiccup, hadn't done anything at all for her – not even a simple 'Happy Birthday' was said by her boyfriend. This saddened her a bit, but she wasn't one to fret over something small like that. Being a woman of action however, she decided she would go find him and tease him about it – maybe even make him feel guilty about the whole thing.

'Come on girl' she said to Stormfly. 'Let's go surprise Hiccup.'

* * *

Fishlegs was almost home when he heard a swoop overhead; there was a rustle around the corner, 'Hello? Anyone there?'There was no answer so he poked his head around the corner and seeing nothing continued home, a bit quicker than before. He made it to the door of his house without another incident until he heard the creaking of wood behind him. He jumped and turned around – there was nothing behind him. It was late and most of the village was already in their respective homes. The few people he had passed on the way home were heading in the opposite direction – he was sure no one was following him. He stepped forward and peered into the dark walkway before him, 'Hello? Anyone there? You know it's not nice to sneak up on someone' he said to know one. He stood there for several minutes waiting for anyone or anything to make their presence known. With no response whatsoever, he headed back to the door of his house.

Turning the knob he stopped when he felt hot breath on the back of his neck. 'Hello Fishlegs.' He turned around to come face to face with a Deadly Nadder. He was initially nervous until he realized it was just Stormfly at which he visibly calmed. He rubbed her nose glad it wasn't Astrid until he realized that Stormfly was here, _by herself_; she never left without her rider. Uh oh; he was in trouble. 'Hello again, Fishlegs.'

He knew that voice, 'A…a…Astrid?' The person of his inquiry jumped off her beast landing in front of him. She had a deceptive and calm demeanor about her as she planted her hands on her sides. There wasn't away to get from the woman in front of him. 'Hey Astrid! How are you doing? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be home?' He knew why she was here but he really didn't want to answer any questions from her.

'Oh I think you already know the answers Fishlegs. What I can't understand is the sudden disappearance of my boyfriend. You haven't seen him anywhere have you? He's about my height, brown hair with a prosthetic leg…ring a bell?' She knew Fishlegs was a good friend to all of them, but she also knew that of the whole group, he would be the easiest to crack under pressure. She would get the answers she needed from him.

Fishlegs couldn't betray Hiccup especially after everything he had been going through and was still currently doing to try and make a great birthday gift. 'I'm not saying anything Astrid.' Although there was a slight shake in his knees, he resolutely stood his ground.

'Interesting…standing your ground are we now? Not bad. But I find it interesting that you haven't seen him since leaving the academy. Isn't the workshop on your way to your house? Surely, you saw him there? Or maybe you found him at the house? Did you find out what he working on?

'Umm…uh…no' he responded. 'Like I said Astrid, I'm not saying anything.' He was going to stand his ground he told himself. Nothing she said would make him change his mind. After all, what could she have on him that would make him spill the yak's milk?

Astrid relaxed her pose and stared at him. He seemed resolute in his purpose. If he really wasn't going to tell her anything, there was only one thing she could do, 'Have it your way Fishlegs. Don't worry – I won't keep prodding you for an answer.' His face was one of confusion but he relaxed a bit when she said this. 'I'll just go home…maybe I'll talk with a certain blond Viking you've been eyeing for some time. Maybe she might have some answers for me. Who knows…maybe something might slip in our conversation?'

His eyes widened at her words. There was no way anyone knew about his secret crush on Ruffnut. How did she find out? 'That's not fair Astrid' he said. He didn't want her to say anything to Ruff but he also didn't want to betray Hiccup. 'You really wouldn't say anything to her, would you?' However the only answer he got from her was a sly smile. 'Astrid…I…uh…'

_A few minutes later…_

'Gods!' Astrid exclaimed as she flew Stormfly back home. She had never seen Fishlegs so determined before and he didn't say anything regarding Hiccup whatsoever. She really wouldn't have said anything to Ruffnut, but she thought the added pressure might help him cave. Now it was nightfall and she had nothing on Hiccup. Speaking of which, she also had no word of him since leaving the academy. He usually would at least say goodnight to her before they went their separate ways each night so where was he? He was more than capable of taking care of himself so he should be fine, right?

'We'll go check on them in the morning girl' she said to Stormfly when she got home. When she found him, she would want an explanation as to why he was gone for so long, birthday or not….

_In an unknown/secret location…_

The chief's son had already been working for several hours and it was looking like Fishlegs' idea was pretty sound. 'I'm really going to have to find some way to thank him when this is all done' Hiccup told himself. Fishlegs' knowledge of dragons was unparalleled in the academy; who knew he would be so helpful with gifts? Hiccup looked at his dragon hard at work with the remainder of the gift. A little while longer and the scales would be nothing more than molten liquid that could be formed into the object he wanted.

'I really appreciate all your help too buddy' he said to Toothless as he rubbed his head. The dragon was glad he could help his master with something so important. There was nothing better than seeing him happy over his work. He may have been different from the other Vikings, but he didn't let that halt his determination at making a better world for his people and the dragons. Toothless had found a true friend and would do anything and everything to protect him. Hiccup was still rubbing his head and Toothless found himself purring at the contact.

'Just a couple more hours and everything will be done.' Hiccup said. 'I just hope Astrid isn't too upset with me for forgetting her birthday…'

* * *

The sky was clear and the sun shining brightly the following day as a light breeze blew through the village of Berk. It was early in the afternoon and a certain blond-haired Viking had been running everywhere all morning, questioning the whereabouts of her boyfriend.

'For the third time Astrid, I do not know where Hiccup is' Stoick said to the young woman. He was talking and drinking some mead with Gobber in the Great Hall. The young Viking had already approached him at his home and on the streets. She had likewise questioned Gobber the same thing and he too gave her the same answer. No one had seen the boy since the previous day.

She told herself she wouldn't fret about this; she told herself she only wanted to tease him and make him feel guilty. Well that was the previous night and earlier in the morning. Now she was getting more annoyed and wasn't sure if she even cared about her birthday or how he forgot (she had figured that part out by now). She was also beginning to not care what present (if any) he would give her. She was more annoyed at the fact that he couldn't man up and come face to face with her and tell her himself. She was annoyed that he wasn't around to say good morning or give her a kiss to start the day. She missed him, but was putting that aside for the moment. He'd better have a good reason for all of this – for all this worry and headache he was putting her through.

While she was having this internal struggle, Stoick and Gobber where watching behind the safety of their mugs. Gobber pitied her and shook his head. 'Do you think we should tell her where he is? She _does _seem worried about him' he whispered to the chief.

Stoick knew his son was playing with fire, but he trusted him. 'No. We can't say anything to her – Hiccup gave us strict orders not to' he said. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't be taking orders from anyone even his own son, but this was a totally different situation. But still, he couldn't help but think the lad hadn't planned this out carefully. _I hope you know what you're doing,_ he thought to himself.

Astrid stormed out of the hall. She had already questioned the other villagers and her friends about his whereabouts but no one had seen him. Snotlout seemed disinterested in finding him but did remark about how he would never do such a thing to her. Her response was a smack to his face for that comment. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were more interested in arguing amongst themselves as to who would find Hiccup first, for Astrid to get anywhere with them.

The only other person who could help her was Fishlegs and he seemed to be missing too. Hiccup seemed to confide in him more than the others. That was probably why he was so determined to not tell anything to Astrid the previous night. She thought about talking to Ruffnut about Fishlegs' feelings for her; it would give her some satisfaction, if not temporary.

She sighed and shook her head. 'I can't do that to him, but I need to clear my head though' she said to herself. She needed to go somewhere to recollect her thoughts and go through everything again – maybe there was something she had missed. She climbed onto Stormfly and headed to the cliffs where she and Hiccup would talk. It was private, secluded and would give her time to gather herself. Who knew? Maybe if she stayed long enough, she could catch a wonderful sunset especially with how beautiful the weather had been. This single thought made her smile and she continued to her destination.

* * *

Astrid was staring up at the sky as she lay on the grass next to her dragon. The ground was warm and felt so comfortable underneath her; she understood why the dragons loved to roll around in it. She had taken her boots off and was glad for it. The fresh grass was cool on her bare skin and tickled the soles of her feet. Rarely would anyone see her in such a relaxed state and she would enjoy every moment of it. The sun was just beginning to set and the sky was changing colors from a light blue to shades of orange and red, signifying the passing of day into night.

'Someone looks like their comfortable' a voice came from behind her. There was no need to wonder who it belonged to as she knew the owner. Slightly startled, but quick on her feet, she got up and ran towards him, embracing him when she got there. The familiar smell, the sensation of his brown hair on her face and his strong grip on her made her feel safe. She pulled away for a minute and stared into his eyes as he smiled back at her. 'Hey Astrid' he said. 'I wanted to apologize for…'

SMACK!

The sound of a hand hitting a face was clear and Hiccup rubbed his at the site of the infraction. 'That's for making me worry. And that…' as she punched his arm (with a bit more force than normal) 'is for everything else.'

'Oww' he moaned rubbing the spot on his arm she always hit. 'Look Astrid, I can explain. I needed time…'

'Because you forgot my birthday? Save it Hiccup' she said as she turned her back to him. She was a woman scorned and he would most definitely feel her wrath. 'Where were you Hiccup? Hmm? Why didn't you just man up, find me and tell me what happened?'

OK…she had a right to be annoyed that he had forgotten her birthday. And while it was true that he had been hiding from her since leaving the academy, it was not for the reasons she thought. His father had told him the situation needed to be handled carefully and had initially brushed it off. He didn't expect the reaction he was currently seeing in his girlfriend – of course he should have at least been prepared for it.

'You're right; I did forget about your birthday, but I wasn't hiding from you. Well…I was but not because I couldn't "man up". I wanted to make this gift really special for you especially since I forgot, but it took a long time to fashion and without Fishlegs' help, I wouldn't have…'

'You know I'm not sure I even care about the gift anymore Hiccup' she retorted back as she turned to face him. 'And don't drag Fishlegs into this! The whole point is that I've been searching all day for you. I was worried Hiccup' she stopped for a moment to compose herself.

'You know the one thing I've admired about you Hiccup since we became a couple is the consistency and love. I would begin each day with a kiss and good morning from you and always end it on a final kiss with a good night. It was a bit annoying in the beginning, but overtime I came to appreciate these simple gestures of your never-ceasing love and devotion. If I had a question you were always there; if there was something bothering me, I could count on your support. But you weren't there when I was looking for you. Why?!'

Hiccup didn't like the direction everything was going and he most certainly didn't like the fact that he had upset Astrid so much. This was most definitely not his intention and he needed to relate this to her. 'Astrid, I didn't mean to make you worry. You know I would never purposefully do that. I love you too much to do something like that.'

'Well you still did it anyway' she said. A single tear fell from her eye and she walked past him back to the village.

'You're not being fair to him Astrid' a voice said in front of her. It was Fishlegs and he had just emerged from the woods into the clearing where the two were arguing. 'Give him a chance to explain himself. You might be surprised at what he tells you.'

Astrid was about to say something to the larger young man, but held her tongue. She was angry at Hiccup and felt she had a right to be. However, in her heart she knew that he would never truly do something to hurt her. She huffed at Fishlegs and turned back to her boyfriend. She would relent this one time, 'Alright Hiccup; go ahead. Explain yourself – I will listen.'

He nodded in thanks to Fishlegs and cleared his throat. 'So like I said, I _did_ forget your birthday and am very sorry for it. I am also very sorry for making you worry about me. I promise to never put you through this again.' She rolled her eyes at the last comment but he continued.

'We've been together for three years now and it's been the best time of my life. Sure we've had our ups and downs (present events included), but these have always made us stronger. I've come to realize that any moments spent away from you are unbearable. You've become the center of my life and I can't imagine it without you. The fight with the Red Death made me realize that life it too short and fragile to leave it to chance.'

'What are you saying Hiccup?' she questioned her hands shaking slightly. This was not the response she was expecting from him and she had a slight inclination as to where this may be going.

He walked to her until he was only a foot away from her. 'What I'm saying Astrid is something I should have said to you a long while ago.' The sun was just finishing setting and sky was growing dark as night drew near.

Getting on one knee, he procured a small object that she couldn't see from his pocket. 'Astrid Hofferson – the most wonderful, the most beautiful person I have ever laid eyes on. She who with one look could stir fear in enemies hearts and with another look, bring warmth, love and joy to my heart; would you marry me?'

Astrid stared down at the young man in front of her and realized she had not put her boots back on (her feet were getting a bit cold). The object in his hands was a black ring with a large crystal centered at the top. Within the crystal was a deep blue flower petal with violet tips. The sky had grown dark and she could barely make out Hiccup kneeling below her had it not been for the glow that emanated from the petal. It was as if the night stars had been captured within the delicate confines of the petal and their luminescence would light the evening sky with the blue hue coming from the crystal.

She now felt childish for her previous outburst. She had really come down on him too hard. She should have realized he would do something like this for her and she began crying. He was so caring and thoughtful and she never should have expected anything less from him. She looked at him and could see the bags under his eyes and realized that he must have been working all night to get this done for her.

There wasn't much fanfare; Fishlegs was the only there other than their dragons. It was simple and sweet and there was only one thing she could say to him who had stolen her heart. To the one person she would give herself wholly and completely. Extending her hand outward she said the three words that would change her life forever:

'Yes I will.'

The ring was slipped on her finger and in that moment he was forever hers and she, forever his. They shared in a passionate kiss as their dragons cooed in response with Fishlegs happily smiling at them. The stars were shining a little brighter as if giving the young couple a blessing from the heavens.

* * *

So what did you guys think? I hope I portrayed their characters' reactions accurately. Apparently, I fail at making a one-shot seeing as how long this story, but I hope you guys enjoyed it anyway.

Thanks to all who read and reviewed this story!

-RRP


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